The Accusation
by Cats070911
Summary: Tommy is accused of sexual harassment. The evidence looks irrefutable to Supt Tate and AC Hillier and it looks like the end of his career. Rated M for language and theme only.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** all usual disclaimers apply. This is only rated M for the theme and some language.

* * *

><p>"This is absurd. It wasn't like that all!" DI Tommy Lynley almost shouted at his accuser.<p>

He was in an interview room in the bowels of the Met. It had a horrible sense of déjà vu as Superintendent Michelle Tate sat sneering across the table at him. "Face it Lynley, you're a reprehensible moral coward who bullies your way through life with your title and feudal sense of ownership over the land and your serfs."

"Don't hold back Superintendent, tell me what you really think." Lynley shot back. Until now he had never hated anyone but himself, even his mother, but now he understood the emotion and why it drove people to unspeakable acts.

"I have you Lynley and this time no one is going to come to your rescue. There is no doubt and I have the evidence right here to ruin you and your precious reputation."

"There is nothing you can do to me Tate that I fear but rest assured..."

"I can take your 'beloved' sergeant away for starters!"

Tommy stood and pushed the table angrily. Tate smirked at him with a look in her eye that Tommy recognised as revenge. He had escaped her once and this time she had no intention of letting him go. Now he had shown her his vulnerability; Barbara. He sat down, accepting his fate.

"Stop it, both of you," Assistant Commissioner Hillier snapped. "I know you have history with the Oborne case but Superintendent Tate is a key Professional Standards officer and her investigation has merit. We just played you the tape Lynley, it looks real and it looks damning."

"Has anyone asked Barbara, I mean DS Havers, about what happened? She will verify it was not as it looks."

Michelle Tate licked her lips. "She's being interviewed now. We didn't want you getting to her first and pressuring her to lie for you. She's done that before. We know that but this time we can prove it. Were you sexually harassing her then too? How long has this been going on Lynley?"

"I have never harrassed her, sexually or otherwise. We have a strong relationship; a close relationship. Ask anyone. Why would she stay my partner for nine years if I was abusing her?"

Tate snorted. She stood up and her chair clattered against the wall. She leant over the table into Lynley's face and bellowed at him. "You're a detective and you ask that? What about all the battered wives who put up with years of violent abuse? It's the same for Havers. She is trapped by you. She feels you are the only person who will partner with her and I bet you have been very explicit in your threats. The woman has no family and few friends. She has no support system. You have become her world and you are using that power for your own selfish ends."

Tommy glared at the veins protruding on Tate's forehead and then closed his eyes. He had to imagine Barbara's smiling face in front of him with her deep green eyes comforting him to stop himself launching across the table and beating the life out of this odious woman. _You have no idea about my relationship with Barbara._

Hillier broke the tension. "Look Lynley the CCTV is quite clear. You are both arguing then you pin her to the wall and kiss her as you grope her. She pushes you away then you grab her hands and pin them to the wall above her head while you kiss her again and seemingly frottuerise her while she is struggling to get away. When you release her she yells at you then runs off camera and you chase her. Surely you can see why the Professional Standards believe they have a case. You are kissing the woman for heavens sake! Havers of all people. Have you taken leave of your senses man?"

Tommy stood and stared down at Hillier. He was well past the point of caring about his job. After this tape that was gone for sure but now they were spoiling what had in fact been a very beautiful moment. "I will not have you, of all people, insult Barbara like that."

"Sit down Lynley, you're in no position to object," Tate barked. She snarled as she asked him, "so you admit you kissed her? That in itself is enough to have you dismissed. And if she's foolish enough to protect you then her career is over too. Now why don't you tell us everything and get this over with. Either way Detective Inspector, when you leave this room you will be simply Thomas Lynley, shamed policeman."

Tommy had nowhere to move. "I want to see my solicitor."

* * *

><p>The policeman seemed nice enough. He was late fifties and spoke softly. "Sergeant Havers, I am DI Godfrey Stanley from Professional Standards. We have received information that appears to show DI Lynley behaving unprofessionally towards you. We have investigated and reviewed some CCTV footage and believe we have enough to send him before a disciplinary hearing on a charge of sexual harassment and if you wish we will press charges for common assault."<p>

"That's ridiculous! DI Lynley has never harassed me and no, I have no intention of pressing charges."

"We have excellent support services and counselling to help you. It may assist you to understand the devastating impact this can have on your life And how you can begin to break the cycle of intimidation and violence."

She was incensed. "Tom... DI Lynley has only ever had a positive impact on my life. I'm not even going to listen to this nonsense." Barbara stood and went to leave the interview room.

"I'm afraid you have no choice Sergeant. Let me show you the tape."

Barbara watched the first few seconds and groaned. She knew what had happened and could see how it looked. Tommy was in trouble and she could not help him because they would never believe her version. The world as they knew had just ended. Barbara leant back on her chair and swallowed hard to stop from screaming.

Stanley stopped the tape. "Do you still want to protect him after what he did? The man is groping you and frottuerising you."

"What the hell is 'frot your eyes'?

"Rubbing himself indecently against you."

Barbara had enjoyed being a policewoman but she was not going to let Tommy take the blame for a situation she had created. She was exasperated by the allegation and frustrated that she could not defend Tommy. "It was my fault," she said, "we were talking about something important and I wasn't listening. That's why it looks as if we argued but it wasn't like that and he did not harrass me. The kiss and the frottuerising or whatever you call it was consensual."

"Do you and DI Lynley kiss often on duty?"

"No, that was the only time."

"Do you kiss often outside of work?"

Barbara saw a pattern emerging and regretted speaking at all. Anything she said would be twisted and distorted and debased. "No comment."

"Come on Barbara, May I call you Barbara?"

"I prefer Sergeant Havers."

Stanley's tone changed dramatically. "Look love. I came in here believing you were a victim. I'm beginning to think differently. If you are under his control we can protect you and your career. He's a bloody toff who carries on as if he is God's gift to the service. You're a reject from that many partners it's not funny. You must be a real difficult piece. For some reason he keeps you round; probably so he can lord it over you. It's natural that you have become reliant on him, that you have been sucked into his web without even realising it. He might be shagging you, I don't know and I don't really care. He might've said he loves you but take it from me girl you ain't his type, not for the long haul. He's gonna leave you in tears and I'm gonna leave you here to think about it all for a while. You're smart enough to know what to do."

Stanley flicked off the interview tape and left her alone in the room. She looked up at the dull white ceiling tiles that were speckled with brown water stains and tried to count the holes. She needed to clear her head of the thousand conflicting thoughts and emotions. She had struggled in recent weeks not to be overly emotional. She did not want them to see her cry so she hugged her arms as she put her head on the table. She wanted to bang it repeatedly but all that would do was give her a headache. Her partnership with Lynley was over because of one mis-timed kiss and there was absolutely nothing she could do.

* * *

><p>Lynley greeted his friend Hugh Jameston with a warm handshake and a taut grim smile. "Thank you for coming Hugh. I'm in a spot of bother I'm afraid."<p>

"So it seems Tommy. I've asked to see a copy of the tape. Do you want to explain what happened?"

"Not to them, no, but it was not harrassment."

Before Hugh could answer a young policeman came through the open door struggling with the large, antiquated video system. "Just press play," he said gruffly as he retreated and pulled the door closed.

"Let's see it then Tommy," Hugh said as he slipped off his coat and sat beside Lynley.

They watched in silence but Tommy could sense the shock on his friend's face. Hugh was trying to hide it but he had clearly expected it to be less explicit.

"I won't lie to you, prima facie it looks fairly bad Tommy. Even I can see it is definitely you and Sergeant Havers so we cannot deny it occurred. You say it wasn't harrassment. I think you better tell me the story, all of it."

Tommy told him what had happened. He spoke about the lead up and what had followed off camera. Hugh listened and smiled. "Well that makes sense Tommy but you do realise what it means if you tell them, for you and Barbara?"

"I know. I will offer to resign of course, if they leave Barbara alone."

"Tate's circling for blood Tommy. I don't think your resignation will be enough for her. She wants to ruin you."

"She can't. The job is not important anymore. It was, but that's changed. I will be fine but I'm worried about Barbara. This will be distressing and she might say something stupid and sacrificial. Can you arrange for me to see her please Hugh?"

"I'll see what I can do."


	2. Chapter 2

Stanley knocked nervously on Hillier's office door. "Come in."

Hillier was seated behind his desk with his elbows on the table and his fingers extended upwards in a temple. His chin rested on outstretched thumbs and his forefingers tapped ominously. He was clearly troubled by what had happened. Tate was in the chair to the left of his desk. She fidgeted with the button on her blazer. Stanley sat carefully in the other chair and waited.

Tate could not contain herself. "What did Havers say?"

"She claims it was consensual and that it was not harassment. She does not want to press charges. I've left her to think about her career but she's a hard-nosed type. She won't cave to that type of pressure. She either genuinely cares for him or he has her completely under his control but whatever her logic she will fight us ever step."

"She's his puppet," Tate spat, "stupid bitch probably thinks because the prick's given her a few good fucks that he loves her or some nonsense."

Hillier glared at her. "Superintendent please! You are still talking about two serving officers who have a very good record and happen to be my most effective detectives. We do not need that sort of language. They have been an odd couple and this shocks me but I cannot believe Lynley would force himself on her. The kisses look a bit too long to not have some consensual element. Maybe this is just an unreported relationship and we should separate them and record a disciplinary note on their files."

Tate rocketed out of her seat. "I can't believe what I just heard! You even called them a fucking couple. Is this the boys club sticking together again? This force is sexist enough. What message do you want to send young policewomen? That a man will always get away with it if people believe she wanted it? Even if the woman is as ugly as a hatful of arses like Havers! I think you need to think very hard about your reputation Assistant Commissioner. Leaders are made by what they do or fail to do. It only takes good men to do nothing for evil to triumph while mindless men look on. So which are you?"

"I think we should all calm down! I am not condoning violent behaviour, regardless of the reason but I do not want to ruin a good man either. Now that we have let him speak to his solicitor we might get some answers. I think we should re-interview Lynley."

"What, to hear more of his lies and public school excuses?"

"Hopefully to learn the truth."

* * *

><p>Jameston introduced himself and sat beside Tommy as Hillier and Tate settled into chairs opposite them. Tommy sat stiffly in his seat, his manicured hands flat on the table in front of him. He and Hugh had devised a strategy and he hoped it worked. If not he was comfortable with whatever disciplinary action they took as long as Barbara's record remained unblemished.<p>

Tate started her spiel about standards required of serving officers. Hugh responded on Tommy's behalf and the two debated process. Tommy's eyes rested on Hillier who contrary to the previous interview now looked uncomfortable and uncertain. Tommy wondered if he might be able to leverage that later.

"My client says the incident occurred almost two months ago. Why did it take so long to come to light?"

"It was uncovered as part of another investigation and was forwarded to us."

"What sort of investigation requires a review of your own station yard CCTV Superintendent?"

"I believe they were trying to trace the whereabouts of the station cat," Tate replied curtly.

Tommy found that amusing and guffawed. "I've always preferred dogs," he said offhandedly earning him a frown from Hugh.

"My client strongly refutes any suggestion of harrassment but in order to spare Sergeant Havers any further embarrassment he will offer his resignation on the condition that nothing adverse is recorded in her file and that it does not affect her next assignment or future career options."

Hillier started to speak but Tate cut him off. "No. That is not acceptable. We have enough evidence to charge him and we will. If he is found guilty, which I have no doubt he will, he will be dismissed."

"Then my client will fight you."

"Bring it on Mr Jameston. Bring. It. On!"

Tommy spoke to Hillier. "Is this really what you want Sir? If it goes public the whole force will be open to ridicule."

"Don't threaten me Lynley. I would accept your resignation as long as I received a sufficient explanation from you and Havers for me to believe it was not violent or coercive but it is out of my jurisdiction. Professional Standards have to be set apart to prevent corruption. My hands are tied Tommy, I'm sorry."

Tommy extended his hand. "I understand. No hard feelings Sir David but I have to do what I must to protect Barbara. I'd like to see her now please."

"That won't be possible in case you intimidate her," Tate said menacingly.

"My client is not a criminal. At best we have an unproven allegation that is rejected by both my client and Sergeant Havers so unless you have grounds to convince a court that my client will harm Sergeant Havers and you can have a restraining order issued against her wishes then you cannot stop them meeting. And I warn you if you do try my client has a very persuasive argument to prove he will not harm her."

"We have no reason to believe Lynley would ever hurt Sergeant Havers," Hillier said before Tate could respond. "You can see her now Tommy."

"Only if she agrees," Tate replied then stood up and stormed from the room.

Tommy called after her. "She will Tate, she will."

* * *

><p>Barbara had started to pace the interview room. They could not hold her. She was not under arrest and not accused of any wrongdoing. The door opened and Stanley entered. Barbara turned on him. "I want to see DI Lynley immediately."<p>

Stanley shrugged. "They've agreed to let you talk to each other. Come on. Seems you're a bigger fool than I thought."

Barbara followed him into another interview room. Tommy looked up and smiled. Suddenly the world felt right again. "I'm sorry. It was all my fault, that day. I've caused all this," she said plaintively.

"No, it wasn't. That day, that moment, was beautiful Barbara. Don't let them spoil it for us."

Barbara came towards him and he thought she might embrace him. He raised his hand. "Don't say too much here." he turned and pointed to the mirrored window. "They are all gathered behind the glass watching us, waiting to pounce. We simply have to rise above it."

"Fucking bastard!" Tate hissed from behind the mirror.

Hillier frowned at her but just watched, fascinated by Lynley and Havers' body language. They were not touching but the way they looked at each other he knew they were in love. He turned to Tate. "Let's just listen to them seeing you forced us in here."

Barbara was looking at Tommy with an urgency and fire that he usually only saw when she was on the trail of a case. "Yeah right. They try to screw you and you want us to rise above it. We should just tell them the truth then let me resign. I don't need this anymore."

"I wasn't prepared to tell them anything before I'd spoken to you but I don't want you to resign or for there to be any blemish on your record."

"The noble knight to the last," she said softly, "but how is my record any more important than yours? Neither of us have done anything wrong."

"Well technically we have," he replied, "if you resign, I resign."

"Haven't we done this dance before?"

Tommy smiled. "Once or twice. We are partners Barbara. That's how it works for us. That's the only way it works for us."

"I know, that's why morally we haven't done anything wrong. Nothing changed at work. No one noticed anything different. Our clear up rates were probably higher and we were happier. We ignored one little regulation, that's all but if we hadn't a lot of those cases might not be solved yet. I won't have you resign under a cloud when we would have had to tell them soon anyway."

"Hugh says we could challenge it. Try to stay together."

"A few months ago I would have agreed and fought it but not now. We don't have enough time left to make it worthwhile. I'll miss it but I'm okay about leaving but you are brilliant at this job. You shouldn't be forced out for a minor breach. Don't let Tate win Tommy. She was wrong before and she is wrong now. Why does she hate you so much?"

"Because ten years ago I slept with her after a Christmas party. Let's just say we were as sexually compatible then as we would be compatible as friends now. She wanted it to continue, I didn't." He lowered his voice and said in shocked tone, "She bites Barbara!"

In the observation room Tate was apoplectic. "Fucking blue-blooded bastard."

Hillier turned and glared at her. "So this is revenge!"

Barbara started to laugh. "She bites? Oh Tommy that is a classic."

They both looked at the mirror and Barbara grinned widely and chomped her teeth together several times in a mock biting motion. "Don't tease the animals Barbara," Tommy warned her.

They looked at each other and laughed but then their mood changed. They ignored the world as they grinned and were lost in each other's eyes. Tommy leant down to kiss her but she stopped him. "Do you think we should? It's what got us in to this mess."

"Barbara, I think we are past that. If I want to kiss my wife then I will." He kissed her tenderly and they both forgot about their audience.

Hillier's mouth was moving but no sound came out. He finally managed to swear and then barged past Tate and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

They all gathered in Hillier's office. Everyone's eyes sought out others to test the waters. Eventually Barbara started to laugh. "This is like a bad spaghetti western," she declared, "who's going to shoot first?"

"You've become remarkably bold Sergeant Havers, or would you prefer to be Sergeant Lynley?" Tate asked. Her tone had changed back to the well spoken viscousness she had displayed in the Oborne case. Tommy looked at her and smiled inwardly. He had been fooled by her demeanour ten years ago but he was not fooled by her fake sophistication now. He knew how rough she liked her sex and how foul-mouthed her endearments could be. He shuddered. With Barbara what you see is what you get, rough edges of a real diamond, not a cheap zirconia.

"It doesn't matter much given I am about to resign. For the record I am sorry we deceived everyone. We didn't set out to do it. When we became partners in more than a work sense we didn't want to say anything until we were sure."

Tommy continued their story. "Then we just conveniently ignored it and when we married it didn't seem important anymore."

"How long?" Hillier asked.

Tommy looked lovingly at Barbara. "We have been together almost a year, not long after the Thompson case. Barbara and I have been living together for about ten months and we were married six weeks ago."

"So that day was a lover's tiff?"

"Not quite," Tommy replied as he recalled the day, "what actually happened was that I was perplexed..."

_Barbara was behaving very oddly that afternoon and she had gone to the bathroom and been there nearly ten minutes. I lingered around my office door hoping to catch her when she emerged._

_"Barbara wait," I said as she passed me without acknowledgement. I caught her by the arm and spun her around. She had been crying and was trying to hide it. "What's wrong my love? What's upset you?" I asked gently._

_"Nothing. It's alright. We'll talk later."_

_I was tired of being fobbed off when clearly since yesterday something had been bothering her. I steered her towards the door at the rear of the station and into the yard Where we could be alone. "No, we'll talk now. Tell me what's wrong. Have I done something?"_

_"Stop it Tommy. Now is not the right time."_

_"For what? Why can't you confide in me Barbara? I thought we were partners. I thought after all the hours we've spent talking that we could tell each other anything."_

_"Not this, not here."_

_I became deeply concerned and softened my tone. I moved closer to reassure her. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't press you if I didn't care."_

_"I'm pregnant Tommy! The doctor confirmed it yesterday. I'm sorry. I don't know how it happened."_

_I remember just staring at her then grinning foolishly. "That's wonderful news! How far along are you?"_

_"About four weeks. We still have time to you know...if you would prefer."_

_"No! No, don't even suggest it. It must have been that weekend away when you forgot...well you know. I should have been better prepared."_

_"I was a fool taking a chance but I thought it would be safe. You have to believe it was an accident. I didn't try to trap you. I'm scared Tommy! Scared about being a mother, sacred about how you will react, scared about our future."_

_"I'm not trapped and you don't have to be scared. I want this baby Barbara just as much as I want you. We're going to be a family." I embraced her. I wanted her to know how much I loved her so kissed her. We ended up against the wall. She needed to understand I wanted the baby so I reached between us and put my hand on her tummy and stroked it lovingly. "There's a little piece of both of us growing in there. That's a beautiful thought."_

_Barbara kissed me back with equal passion but had more sense than me. She tried to wriggle free. "Behave! What if someone finds us?"_

_I should have listened but at that moment I didn't care about anything except us. I ignored her pleas and kissed her again. Her arms were flailing in protest but her lips held me tight so I grabbed her hands softly and held them against the wall above her head. It wasn't violent, it wasn't aggressive. I just wanted her to focus on us. This time our kiss was more passionate and her body was open to me. I wanted to feel as close to her as I could and so I pressed the full length of my body against her like I was making love to her. Well I was in a way. Our kiss deepened into something highly erotic but incredibly loving and I released her hands. I hoped she would pull me closer but instead Barbara pushed me away._

_"Tommy! That's what got us into this mess."_

_"It's not a mess. We should marry as quickly as we can Barbara. We can get married here in London if you like..."_

_"Stop it! You can't just decide everything. We are supposed to be in this together remember. We agreed that when this started. I want to be asked not told I'm going to marry you. It's all too soon. I've ruined everything." Barbara rushed into the yard and headed for the gate._

_I ran after her. "Let's go home and talk about it Barbara. I'm sorry if I got carried away but I love you and I want us to be together, forever. I was going to propose on New Year's Eve. I have the ring at home. I will ask you properly, I promise but now to find we have a created a little person together, well I'm overjoyed Barbara, I really am."_

_She looked at me with such adoration that my heart almost stopped. I heard her tell me she loved me but I did not need words. I knew it already and her eyes told me more than her words ever could. Right at that moment I was the happiest I have ever been._

_That night I proposed and I made love to Barbara like..."_

Barbara kicked him and Tommy realised he had just told them the whole story. She had expected a summary but now he was getting far too intimate. Both of them looked at each other and blushed. Tommy felt around and found her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Oh please! Spare us the gruesome details," Tate cried.

"Sorry, it is a special memory so I remember every word, every look. That's why I didn't want you soiling it with your grubby insinuations. I would never force myself on Barbara. It took us years to get around to recognising how we felt and that is far more important than my job."

"Oh how convenient!"

Tate's reaction was not unexpected but Hillier's caught the couple off guard. "Congratulations! I am genuinely pleased for you both. You deserve some happiness."

"Sir, you can't say that as if you condone their actions." Tate was almost pleading.

"I thank Professional Services for their help but I think disciplining these officers is my jurisdiction. From what I see they failed to report their marriage and managed to get caught kissing on our CCTV."

"It's fraud," Tate claimed in desperation.

"They gained nothing except being able to stay together. There is no fraud. Thank you Superintendent you may leave."

"Sir, I do not think..."

"So it seems," Hillier snapped.

Tate looked at Hillier then Havers and finally Lynley. He met her glare with a fierce and protective stare. He would protect Barbara and their child no matter what lengths he had to go to and he wanted Tate to understand that. She snorted then stormed from the room.

Hillier was also staring and Tommy let go of Barbara's hand. It would be better to return to a completely professional relationship. "So, you two have made my life hard yet again," Hillier started, "I want to be angry but I have so many conflicted feelings about this that I can't be. Neither of you is resigning by the way."

Tommy looked at Barbara. Her face was mirroring his confusion. Hillier was being nice. That was more frightening than Tate in full flight. "We are sorry Sir," Tommy said earnestly.

"You should have come to talk to me about it. I don't necessarily agree with the regulations but they are there to prevent officers making poor decisions in the field or favouring their partner above others. Frankly police partners work so closely together than bonds form, whether they are sexual or not, and we all make decisions that are not purely rational."

"Yes Sir," Tommy said as Hillier paused.

"Until Sergeant Havers goes on maternity leave I am going to assign you both to a little project I have and neither of you are going to like it. It keeps you together but it is also punishment. It would be far easier for me to just assign you a new partner Lynley and on paper I will. You can have Nkata. I was going to discuss his promotion with you before Tate waltzed in with her tape."

"Thank you Sir, Winston deserves a promotion."

"So every time you go out of the office he goes with you, even if you take Havers here too. Understood?"

Tommy thought this was going too well and suspected a catch. "Understood Sir."

"Now Sergeant Havers, I do not expect you to decide now but tell me in the morning whether you intend to sit your Inspector exams next month or not. You have no excuse to put it off any longer and by the time you get back from maternity leave there will be a position."

"I might not come back Sir."

Tommy looked at her. He had assumed she would want to return as soon as possible. "Really?"

"You two can discuss that at home. I suggest you sit the exam, take the leave and decide then." Barbara nodded meekly.

Hillier opened a cabinet and pulled out a collection of file summaries. "These are our top ten unsolved cases from this year. None of them were yours I'm pleased to say. We have an audit here in four months and after today's performance Professional Standards and the auditors will go through us like the Black Death. You two, along with Nkata, are going to review them and solve them or prove they cannot be solved. If you need more resources we can talk about it."

Tommy and Barbara looked at each other in grim acceptance. There was a lot of work in it but both of them were relieved they would still be together doing what they loved.

"Lynley, you can tell the team about you and Havers and why you kept it secret but make sure they know you have both be disciplined and are on punishment duty."

"Yes Sir."

"The rest of you can go but you stay Lynley."

The others filed out and Lynley took a deep breath. "I am sorry Sir, for all this."

"Our sins always come back to haunt us. I can sort this one but don't create any more scenes. God knows we all know your womanizing history and how passionate a man you can be but never hold hands in my office! And if you and Havers ever kiss in my yard or my interview rooms again or I catch you canoodling anywhere I will split you up without hesitation."

"Of course Sir." Tommy thought he had been dismissed and turned to walk towards the door.

"So use the lock on your office door," Hillier said with humour in his voice. "By the way did Tate really bite?"

Tommy smiled to himself. "A gentleman never tells." There was no way he was going to show Hillier the scar.


End file.
